God, Your Majesty is Breath-taking!
Welcome to Day Ten! At this stage in our journey, we are 1/4 of the way there! Today is a touchy subject…one that in society’s thinking would say is unpopular and crazy.
We live in a day and age that says things like,
” You can do it, don’t give up” ” Fight til the end and never surrender” “You’re a loser, if you give in” “Don’t let them take you alive”
In this highly competitive world…Many think that surrender is bad…much like submission…seems like an unnatural thing to do, given the human spirit. Yielding to a stronger, more forceful person is what comes to my mind. Maybe even thoughts of being a loser…defeated? I am very independent and reading in Romans about surrender being the heart of worship…unsettled me…UNTIL I understood WHAT GOD means by surrender.
Do you dare to journey with me further? Awesome! Let’s continue.
When I think of surrender & trust I think of my Earthly Dad. There were times that he told me to do things that I did not always want to do… things I needed to do…chores, homework, learning to drive, going to bed on time, getting a job…things that would help me through life. I had to surrender my will to his, so that I could learn and have a better life.
It did not break my will. Because my father loved me and I loved and trusted him, I surrendered knowing he was only looking out for me. Could our Heavenly Father have the same purpose on a grander scale??
Let’s dig deeper…Most of us (myself included) don’t realize how much God loves us, we want to control our own lives and we misunderstand the meaning of surrender (I know I did)
Rick Warren says on page 78 of The Purpose Driven Life that there are 3 barriers that block our total surrender to God:
Fear: Can I Trust God? God will NOT force us to love Him…He does NOT break our will. He LONGS for us to TRUST HIM WILLINGLY
Pride: We must learn to admit our limitations. We aren’t God and NEVER will be. We are human. According to A. W. Tozer, “The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within us”.
Confusion: We misunderstand what it means to surrender. We must rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force our own agenda, or control the situation. Easier said than done, I know…
Surrender is BEST demonstrated in obedience & trust.
DAY TEN: THINKING ABOUT MY PURPOSE (Taken directly from the “The Purpose Driven Life” by Pastor Rick Warren, page 84)
“TODAY’S FOCUS: The Heart of Worship
POINT TO PONDER: The Heart of Worship is Surrender
BIBLE VERSE: ”Surrender your whole being to be used for righteous purposes.” Romans 6:13b (TEV)
QUESTION TO PONDER: What area of my life am I holding back from God?
Here are the treasures I found from DAY TEN:
God looks at the attitude of my heart. He asks me, “Is pleasing Me your deepest desire?” If my answer is truly Yes, then I will desire to follow Him and His ways. To know that He wants what is BEST for me…to surrender because I LOVE & TRUST Him. The funny thing is that when I feel that way about God and give Him His place as CENTER in my life…it does NOT feel like surrender, it feels like…PEACE.
My Father's Wellness - Tami Cole 